Volleyball Lakers outlast CBA in five-game battle

With a stirring comeback and a lot of patience, the Skanetaeles girls volleyball team fought past Christian Brothers Academy in five games last Tuesday night to highlight the final week of regular-season play.

This match had all kinds of turning points. The Lakers pulled out the opening game 25-23, only to see the Brothers breeze through the second game 25-10 and win its own 25-23 decision in the third game.

Skaneateles drew back even with a 25-17 romp through the fourth game, setting up a long fifth-game battle that went well beyond the wire. Both teams squandered match points until, at 27-27, the Lakers got the serve back and converted match point to win it, 29-27.

Ryan Merle stepped up in a big way on this night, with a career-best 18 kills. Katherine Hill also took on a larger role, with 13 kills, while Emily Wood got 11 kills and six blocks. Chloe Warner, with 36 assists, fed all of them, as Alex Hughes (five kills) and Kelsey Bennett (four kills) both made their contributions, too.

CBA, in defeat, got 13 kills from Natalie Rogers-Bell and 10 kills from Lindsay Boland, as Angela Spicciati matched Warner with 36 assists of her own.